Seattle's Pier 58 partially collapses into water; 2 construction workers injured

Two construction workers were injured after plunging into the water in the partial collapse of a Seattle pier on Sunday.

The workers were part of a crew involved in the removal of Pier 58, the structure supporting several attractions including the Seattle Aquarium, according to the Seattle Fire Department.

Five workers were on the pier when the northeast corner, closest to the aquarium, began to collapse, said Marshall Foster, director of the city of Seattle’s Office of the Waterfront, according to The Seattle Times. A monitoring system triggered alarms and the workers evacuated, but not before two men, who were sawing concrete, fell into the water. Both were rescued quickly by on-site safety staff, Foster said, and are in stable condition at a local hospital.

Work had resumed this weekend at the site after officials decided to accelerate removal of the pier because of its movement away from land and continued deterioration. Officials had closed the downtown Waterfront Park after finding that the movement had left a gap between the pier and land.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan tweeted that officials "will evaluate Pier 58 to determine appropriate next steps and potential broader impacts."

Before the city's decision for accelerated removal, the 50-year-old pier had been slated for remodel in 2022 as part of a redesign of the waterfront.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Seattle Pier 58 collapses into water during construction accident